This disclosure relates to an optical identification system developed for post-irradiation disassembly and analysis of fuel bundle assemblies from a nuclear reactor or test facility.
Where large volumes of fuel pins are utilized in a nuclear facility, automated methods of fuel pin identification is needed after removal of the pins from the facility. As an example, used fuel pin bundles might contain several hundred fuel pins that will be removed for analysis and fuel reprocessing. The fuel pins must be extracted individually. The present apparatus is designed to be lowered onto a stationary fuel pin to read identification numbers or letters imprinted on the circumference of the top fuel pin and cap.
This apparatus was designed to meet the following technical requirements:
Read roll stamped numbers approximately 0.002 to 0.010 inch deep and raised no more than 0.003 inch above the cylindrical surface; PA0 Read non-rotating fuel pins; PA0 Withstand environmental conditions encountered during post-irradiation disassembly and analysis of fuel bundle assemblies at test facilities and reactors.
The described optical apparatus is used in conjunction with optical character recognition circuitry not described in detail herein. This circuitry receives digitized information from the apparatus and processes such information to convert it to usable data. The general nature of the required circuitry is common to other optical character recognition applications.